Show Me the Money
July 1st will be the mid-year point for 2021. Letter Carriers have several things to look forward to in the coming months. A retro-active pay raise should, hopefully be paid within the next month or two(July/August). Remember, this adjustment should be from November 23, 2019 until April 9, 2021. The May 2021, Postal Record makes mention of this. It does not give a specific date when the adjustments will occur. The adjustment should also factor in any overtime hours that you may have worked during that same period.
My best estimate for those wages should be approximately $1600 for a letter carrier who was at Step “O”(top step) before taxes. I would factor in the tax at 25% on those monies. Thus, it might be $1200 that you actually take home when the adjustment is finally paid. Please remember, these are my estimates and they do not include any monies you may have worked overtime. It is also not known, if this will be a separate check or included in your regular pay check.
The retro pay adjustment should include 5 pay raises (Step “O”).
1) 1.1% pay raise effective November 23, 2019. Annual wage was $65037 x 1.1% =$715.40 divided by 26pp = $27.51 a pay period comes to $715.
2) A $166 COLA effective February 29, 2020 div 26PP= $6.38 + 4pp = $25.53 comes to $192
3) A $188 COLA effective August 29, 2020 = 16pp x $7.23pp = $116
4) 1.1% pay raise effective November 21, 2020, 10pp x $27.51 = $275 + $275 = $550
5) $416 COLA effective February 27, 2021, $16 per pay x 3pp = $48
TOTAL of above 5 pay raises comes to $1621.
In addition to these monies, 6 additional wage increase were negotiated (4 COLAs and 2 general wage increases) and will be payable through March 2023. At the present time, the July 2021 COLA stands at $1290 with 2 additional months (June and July) to be added or possibly subtracted if inflation reverses. If that number, however, were to remain, that would be equivalent to a $49 per pay increase ($1290 divided by 26 pay periods) beginning in September of 2021. Unfortunately, CCAs do not at the present time receive COLA(s) but their General Wage increase is higher than career carriers.
The NALC negotiated these wage increase and other matters at the Eleventh hour. If you recall, the parties had completed their arbitration hearings and the issue was going before an Arbitrator. Prior to closure, the parties mutually agreed to these wage increases and other issues. The contract was ratified by the membership on March 8, 2021 by a vote of 60,111 for and 3,341 against.
Negotiating a “new” National Agreement is a major priority of the NALC. It is, however, not the only thing that the NALC is required to do. Legislative activity is also a top priority and the current legislative program faces several hurdles.
Unlike collective bargaining, legislative activities require more support because you are in effect negotiating with numerous politicians and not one Employer. This means you need to get a majority of the 535 elected representatives to support your proposal. Our NALC leaders cannot do it by themselves. They require every letter carrier and their Families to be involved.
Presently, HR 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act of 2021 is pending. It recently passed from committee with bi-partisan support. Key elements of the bill would repeal the mandate to fully pre-fund health benefits for future retirees. The NALC and other postal workers have been trying to overturn this regressive provision since 2006. That is 15 years!
HR 3076 would also reform the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) program. It would maximize participation in Medicare once an active member retires (January 2023) and reaches age 65. Annuitants will be given additional options to remain with the FEHB or to participate in a postal version of the program. This part of the bill is being referred to the House Ways and Means Committee for possible amendments.
Finally, HR 3076 would require the Postal Service to permanently maintain a network of mail and package delivery for six days a week. Since 1983, this issue needed annual approval every year. Passage of this language would eliminate the requirement for annual renewal.
Letter Carriers do not have the luxury of relaxing when it comes to legislation and political activity. HR 3076 is of paramount concern and needs the efforts of all members and their Families. Since this legislation has bi-partisan support in both the House and the Senate we have a real opportunity for change. Please get involved now and contact your House and Senate Representatives to support HR 3076.
Go to the NALC website (www.nalc.org) from the NALC site, click on Government Affairs (at bottom, left) From legislative action scroll down to (Take Action, read more. Hold – read More for a few seconds, click open link- scroll down. Enter first name + last +zip + last for digits of ssn.
Your Silence is Your Consent!
